Aerial carrier for bombs or the like



Sept. 14, 1943. T. p. DUNCAN. JR 2, 2

AERIAL CARRIER FOR BOMBS OR THE LIKE Filed April 21, 1942 Patented Sept. 14, 1943 7 2,329,521 n l AERiAn eAimmR 1 0R Bot ins ba m I Thomas P. Duncan, Jrl, Newport NewaYa; i Application k h! 21, 1942; Serial N0. }439,9o0-L U ITED} aima (oil-10214 i This invention relates to an'aerial carrier for bombs or the like, and it is primarily anobject "of the invention to provide a device of this kind 'to' beconveyed by the wind at a predetermined altitude, togetherwith means comprised in the structure of the carrier for automatically al-' lowingdropping of a bomb at an approximate has been freed for transit; l r

- It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this-kindincluding a lighterthan-air member provided with means ior coupling thereto a bomber the like and" wherein predetermined period of time-after the device I said member is provided'with timedmeans for automatically releasing the bomb or the like'for dropping at approximately a predeterminedi 'period of time after the member and its'load hasbeen' put in transit.

The invention also'has for a purpose to provide a carrier of this kind thatcan be:.readily released with its load from a shin-submarine,

dirigible, captive balloon or land base'j at 'distances of from '25 miles"to600 'miles or more from an objective and which carrier with its lead will: approach-itsobjective silently! and wherein the carrier is provided with means for releasing the bomb pr. the like therefrom with effective accuracy; wherebythe carrierlispari- 'ticularly advantageous in use in .attackingfiin- -dustrial centers, harvestcrops, match box metropolises; etc. a r "l j Y .An additional object of. the invention'isto provide a. carrier of this .kind includingian inflatible balloon'embodying a depending neck having means for couplingrto abomb or the like and. wherein said neck at the time ofareleaseof .the carrier or balloon with'its load i'sprovided .with a charge to create such an erosionaction to effect an automatic release of the bomber ,the like from the carrier or balloonat an apa proximately predetermined period oftime after the release of the carrier with its'load. l

.-A still further objecti of the invention is to provide .a carrier of this kindincludingan inflatible body, together with a. connector. carriedby the body for coupling a bomb or;the like thereto, and wherein said connector is provided with means to permit. the placing-therenecessary to take the inflatible body and its load to a desired altitude, said weight being readilyremovable before the inflatiblel body. with .itsloadis released. v c. a 3 'Theinvention consistsinthe.detailslof construction and in the combinatiomand;-arrange ,55

' inner face thereof. is a plategor insertf Zbf oft] rubberwhich-providesa softrubber sealing seat. y therethrough atl' its axial center with tapered Iirierniost.

(hereinafter morefully set forth, I i

- In*or der that my invention;mat b'ebette lower" or free end portionofthe, neck I j is cl by" a 'cap or cup-like i member 3tfwhich merit a:- the several parts -offmy improved aerial" carrier for bombs or f the like 'whereb'y certain important advantages are attained as -w'il derstood; I. w wr ditq d ribe'i h sme with reference to the a ':ci:$z'n1 anying' rawing,

Figure l is an elevational f View; of an carrierconstructed in ,accordancezwit a bodimentoi my" invention'and having coupled; thereto j.

Figure 2 is an enlarged,detailedsectional taken substantially on the line" 2+2 of Figure 1 withparts in'elevation; and I f Figure isj a view in perspective of. t nector as herein comprised unappl ed.

As disclosed inthe accompanyin denotes an; infiatible .memberfoii bal desired dimensions and which "is adapted fito he inflated by hydrogen or. other; suitable ga {The 'fits on the lowei end portion of the (neck I and, is preferably 'adhesively 'heldthereonL The bottom Dr head i of this'cajp or member.

3 is of material thickness and cemented t the The head 14 of thejcap memberfi iSJLDrovidgd opening 5, thesmaller. end? of which The inner or smaller end of this opening 5fre'g- 'is'ters withan opening 6 in the plate or insert 2 of the head ,I and inserted from above, through this openingfi of the" plate .br'insert .2 'ndjextending within the opening 5 isan elongated tap or shank]. I

This "tap or sha'nk 1 is providedatits nner extremity, or that .end portion of theftahfor 1 1 shank wi,thi'n,t he 'neck ,I, with an outstand-, 5

ing surroundinghadt which has close contact on of a dead weight equaling the amount or lift with'theinner face of the plateor head 2; "This tap or shank flisof metal or other material eaten by an acidsolution, such as a magnesiurn alloy or the well-known Dow metal,-which a metallurgical standard metal. f

The outervendv portion of the taponshank 'l is provided axially thereof. with an elongated socket19 in which threads an end portion cli lfiof l an elpngated-g andsubstantially 'straight lbaiwl-l comprisedinthe c'onnectorC. .fI'hreading omthis I .portion-l,0..oi the loan H is a nutIiZ havingcon- ..,tact-with.thegouter'fac'e oia'washen]4 surroundins. thef barl= lil, i-and in direct contact. with-.zthef bomb'As I I Operatively connected withthe'f.wall" of the neckfl" above the applied-"plate IVandiri" com- "munication" with said'neck above the plate I is an inflation valve-V11 thisvalve Vfin itself outer face of the head 4 of the cap member or cup 3. Upon turning the nut I2 in one direction around the bar II, the head 8 of. the tap or shank I will be pulled down intoltight contact 1y broad flange I6 having close contact with the inner surface of the, neck I. This plate I5 andflange I6 are preferably ofv rubber material and the applied plate I5 with its flange I6 completely intersects the interior of the neck I whereby the chamber or cell I I is providedvbetween'the plate I5 and the plate 2 to receive a'charg'e I8" of a suitable acid, such as aceticr acid;

The wall of the neck I and the flange I 6 plate I5 are of such thickness and the material" ;of such a character as to-be self-sealingnin connection with a small opening which may be pro- .duced.,therethrough.' "Initially the Wallof -the such plate t5 is pierced asat I9,=and which cpn- ,tracted and. sealed opening I 9-; is readily located a surrounding line 20. produced onthe outer surface of the wall of theneck l and-substantially concentric. to this contracted opening; I9, a'sfis illustratedfinFigul-e 1 of thedrawin'g a j. The, chamber or cell lfl isl preferablyl charged through the m'ediu'inbf a needl'e psyringe and in the filling operation, the needlelo i. such instrument is}- quickly inserted through. the contracted opening I9. After thechargeottheinstrument has been emptiedlwithi'nthe chamber or cell-I1,

the needle. withdrawn and the opening jigs, will automaticallyseal asairesult oi the expansion of Ethe' WalI oi the neck I'fand. of the. flange I 6 I 1 The "lower end of the bar I] is returned. to provide an elongated arm 2] provided at its free extremity with a laterally. disposed open loop 22 straddling the bar I'I. fllOl'ieoof lthefside arms ,a

ofi 'theloop 22' is extendedto provide outwardly "ofthe arm ZIIajn upwardly facing hook member 23- to pro'vid'eni'eans to allowior 'the' suspension jofajsuitable,weightfor a purpose tobe hereinjai'termorefparticularly referred to. a

The, armZ I and the bar II coactitaprlovid'e link jwhereby desired. couplingv may be had "with "anjeyemember "24 or the like at the tail "end of a "bomb; Ai 'whichjm'ay be incendiary, explosive o "both; Insofar as. the bomb is, concerned, lit 'form's n'oparticular part'oi, the present invention. "The arm 21 possesses "a certain degree of inherent resiliency so that it may'r'eadily yieldito'allow the "hook member, the members'of thelloopifa'nd the arm 21 to readily thread therethrdughwhen it is desired to couple the. connector to the forms no particular part of the present 'irrvention,

it is not'thought adetailed description thereofis In practice, when the-carrienwith'itsbornb-is I to-be released from asea or land baseg-computaihomb fi isrunnto -the connector C-'.: -A suitable the I chamber: orcellfl However, before this' i jeetl'on or charging. of the chamber or cell-1 the the convenience and facility with which itmay f be assembled and operated. T15.

What I claim is: t

l. Anaerial carrier for a bomb or the like "comprising a balloon having a portion formed tofiprovideanhcid cell, a wall of said cell having an opening therethrough, a member freely disposed" through said opening and having means coacting: with the adjacent wall of the cell for initially holding the member in-place; said holdjing'means being of a material to be eaten away under the action ofanacid-charge within the cell; 'tOLaILOW saidmember. to drop-eut through .lthe-opening and means operatively engaged with said, member for coupling, a bomb ortthe' like thereto, said; last-named: meansincludlng a part for suspending a liftf'weightl I v 2 An aerial carrier; for a bomb orythel like "comprising az ballo'on having: a portion formed to-.'provide anacid cell; a wall of said celLhavring an" openingztherethrough, a member freely "disposed-through said: opening and having-means coactingwith the adjacent wall ofcthebcellior ztheziziopening', 1- andri' means operatively engaged with said" member for coupling; a bomb 01's the i like thereto, jsaid lastenamed means including agpartfon suspending a-llfit weighmthe opening the passageof' said-member .the-rethrough after .therholding'means :has'. been: leatensveawa-y; I I

3;; aerial carriers forfia bombror the; like comprising? a balloon"having. a cpor tion' formed to; provide an acid; cell; :a wail oft saldi cell :having an opening therethrough', a imember ilieely disposedi'through said opening and: having means coactin'gnwith-thei adjacent: wallli oftth'e 'ce'llt tor initially-holding: the memberirinplazm-a said? holdiin'g means beingioi a materialize be eatenzz'away :underfthe: action o'fl an; acid charge witfiinixth'e celluto: allow said member to drop: cuts through the: openingan connector for coupling: a bomb or theslike etc. the: bal l'oon iin'clndingl a rodyand -means for .connectingamerrd portion" of: the rod .tfi'theimembel"; J

4. An aeriah carrieriion'a b'oinb or'the; like comprising balloonxh'aving a1pomti'or'i l'ormed to provide; amrcellg'. ai wall:- or: 's'aidrcell 'liavingl am opening .therethrough, ta; member disposedrftlirougliz said fopenin'ga and having means coasting: with the adjacent wall of 1 the -cell ior iinitiallytlholdingi' the "member" in place, salid-fholdingrmans beingv materia l to be aeatenaaway, under: the' actioni oitan acl'd: charge our; mmtgn; the opening, al connector re ortpling a bomb or the like t0-the ba1loo memeing: anrodai'andf means for: connecting: art-- end I I portionsdtftherrotiirto tne member; the" opposite the like, said am nector to the bomb or the like. v r

5. An aerial carrier f-ora bomber the like comprising a balloon havinga' portionforrned to provide an acid cellQawallofsaid cell hav-. 7 ing an opening therethrough, amembe'r freely I I disposed through saidopening andm-havingmeans coacting with the adjacent Wall of the" cell for initially holding the'm'e'mber'ln' place, 1 said holding meansbeing of a -materialto be eaten away under the action of an ac'idlcharge v within the ,cell toallow said member" to .drop

out through'the openinggfa connector for cou-' pling a bomb or the like to the balloon including end portion of the rod, carrying a returned'armv to facilitate the desired. coupling of the'j con 1' a rod, means for connecting an endyportion of the rod to the member, the oppositeend por-\ tlon of the rod carrying a returned arm to facilitate the desiredcoupling of the connector to the bomb or the like, and a part carried by said arm for suspending a lift-weight. 6. An aerialcarrier for abomb or the'like comprising a balloon having a portion formed;

to provide an acid'cell, a wall of said cell having an opening therethrough, a member freely disposed through said opening and having means 1 coacting with the adjacent wallof the cell for initially holding themember in" place, said holding means being of a material to be'eaten away under the action of an acid charge within the cell to allow said memberv to dropout through theopening aconnector for coupling a bomb or the like to the balloon'including a rod and means for connecting an. end portion. of the rod' to the member, the opposite end portion of the rod carrying a returned arm to facilitate-the de-' sired coupling of the connectorto the bomb [or 1y disposed loop straddling'the bar.

being provided witha lateral member vcarried .lift weight/j initially holding the member in place, saidhold-w ing means being of a material to be eaten away 1 under theia'ction of an acid charge withinthey-7y cell to allow said :rnember to drop'out'through the opening, a .connector for coupling abomb or.

the like. to the balloon including a rod, means for connecting an end portion, ofthe rodlto the member, the opposite end portion of the rodcart f rying a' returned/arm to facilitate.itheqdesirecl coupling of {the connector to, the bomb or; the

' like, said" arm being provided with a laterally;

" disposed loop straddling the bar and aj hookvv by saidloop'for suspending a, a

8. An aerial carrier wall ofsaid neck, amember intersecting the through, said' 'portion of'the wall being of, a

neck outwardly. of the inflatingvalve to provide' a i the neck with an acid cell,land means carried 4 j ;by the neck for suspendinga bomber the like from th'e balloon, said-I means includingapart-i 1i extending'within the. acid cell vto be eaten awayf f by the'acidcharge within the cell'toj release the; i'- I bomb or thellike; arpcrtion of: the wall of-the cell having" a'filling "opening disposed there materlal'possessing s'ufiicient inherent expansion to l automatically maintain u opening closed;

TH MAS 1 1' 7." aerial carrier for abomb or the like comprising a balloon having a portion formed to provide an acid cell, a wall of said 'cell having an opening therethrough, a member 'freely" disposed through said opening and having mean's I coactin'g with the adjacent wall of the cell for for a? am or ing-{jig comprising a balloon havingjaddepending. neck; v" an inflating va or theiballoon carried'.by-;-a 

